Sighing again but this time out loud, Mino-wa bent down to Grave and told him, “It’s just like a human to run right into trouble isn’t it boy?” Grave gave a bark of acknowledgement. “You know what to do boy,” at Mino-wa’s command Grave went running towards the direction of the smoke. “You see,” She said as she caught up to Dinu, “living out in the streets has given Grave and I a sense of self preservation, another thing you obviously lack.” “We don’t just charge into dangerous situations eyes closed and fists flying,” giving his clenched fists a pointed look. “Grave and I have a system.” Feeling a proud smile reach her lips she quickly continued her explanation. “Grave goes in first to see if there is any sign of life,” this was their preferred method for braking into people’s homes but he really didn’t need to know that. “When he comes back I will say ‘Well’ and he will respond with one bark meaning life but friendly, two barks meaning life and hostile, and nothing meaning all clear.” She looked at him hoping he wouldn’t ask any question. “Now we wait.”

Dinu watched the dog run forward, and sighed.'I used to do that with Fyre until she got attacked by an archer. An elf, I might add'Dinu added this last part with much malice and venom, remembering how a young cliff bird with an arrow wound was the most heartbreaking thing he had ever seen. He didn't hate elves, but Mino-wa's attitude towards him was making him almost regret letting her come along. He needed someone he could trust, and she wasn't it.'It's clear you can operate without me, then,' Dinu decided, and turned back to the path, 'I'm going to be in Faust for a day. I need supplies for the journey, and...' Dinu stopped, before he said something he'd regret, 'you can follow me if you want'Dinu started to walk back to the path, sheathing his sword. He no longer wanted to make sure the people at the smoke were ok. He was sure Mino-wa could handle it without his human pride blocking her way.

Oh for the love of Gods. Mino-wa grabs Dinu by the arm, “look I’ve been on my own for a very long time and I’m not good at communicating with people.” She looked into his painfully earnest eyes and dreaded saying the next part. “I’m… I am… I… well… you see… I’m sorry.” She looked away and let go of his arm. “Maybe we could start over?”

Her existence consisted of three things at that current moment. The overwhelming and heavily fortified wall lined with archer slots and rising battlements. The stone, granite she assumed, was long dulled with age and seemed to encircle the city instead of boxing it in as seemed to be the standard human custom. Odd creatures, she thought to herself briefly. Such a fascination with squares and rectangles.

Her mind drifted back outward once more and she took note of the second thing. The vast rolling landscapes and hills, the sheep and various cattle herded closer to the castle walls where there was plenty of open grass to feed from, The thatch roofed farms and scent of freshly plowed and turned soil, and the occasional call from one farmer to another. Then there was the fresh mud beneath her feet which bothered her not a bit as the land washed over her.

Then she heard a voice and turned, quite surprised upon seeing a human. Her eyebrows rose at being taken so unawares by something she should have easily heard coming. Noting the staff and demeanor of the young man she nodded to herself mentally. He was most likely a wizard. She didn't peg this one for the holy man routine.

Resting her wrists on the hilts of the twin longswords that hung at her sides, she nodded her acknowledgement to the man before answering his question. "No traveler. I'm from several leagues away from here. The forests near the town you call Fienster house my home."

Letting the moment lapse in silence she simply observed the man unobtrusively. It was a common habit of elves to watch people they had just met or were in company with. It often lead to small insights that helped much later down the road. Reaching up to her right shoulder she froze, the reflexive gesture reminding her that she hadn't had time to bring her bow with her. Her one true companion that she had named Thelysis long ago.

Forcing her hand back down to her side, she stood, the human seeming unnoticing of the action or merely displaying enough courtesy not to comment on it. After a few moments more, she heard the gate begin to creak open behind her.

Kuval did indeed notice the gesture. Wizards have this habit of taking in everything in front of them. The better to know what to cast. Pushing back his hood to reveal his features, he smiles easily and bows.

"Hello, my name is Kuval Misu. I am...also not from around here." He looks at the gate opening before returning his gaze to the elf. "If I am allowed, what is your name? And what brings you to Faust?"

Wizards were a lot to be wary around reguardless of their race, but they could also be some of the most useful. Tilting her head as she pondered the man and just how much to tell him, she stood there for several moments. Finally speaking she said "My name is Ellifain and I was sent to retrieve an ageless and extremely powerful artifact from a rather honry dragon."

Watching the man's reaction for signs of anything from recognition to purpose, she let her words sink in before continuing. "I was ordered here for an audience with the queen in hopes that she may either be able to provide aid, insight, or some trinket of knowledge that might just keep my beloved skin firmly attached to its muscles."

The truth was, the artifact of Ilia had devastating abilities that hadn't been seen since the Hyperion Age. And reguardless of her disposition, she would much rather leave it in the hands of a dragon bent on mayhem than in a roving hand of bandits which might luck up and activate the accursed item. Dragon's tended to pride themselves in their own power not the power of trinkets, as far as she knew atleast.

All this passed through the woman's mind in rapid fashion, part of her mental discipline under the tutelage of her people. Thus she was left with several moments to consider the man she shared the road with. His expression seemed warm enough, however she wasn't sure of his intentions in the least.

"So, friend." she stared. "That is my tale. May i ask after your own?"

Kuval nods when she mentions the dragon, his face darkening a bit. He moves forward, his hair swaying from side to side as he did, to come stand next to Ellifain as he looked upon the city.

"I came here looking for companions. I'm after the very same dragon. The dragon killed my master and has been a terror to the world for too long. I aim to find a strong group to help me take him down once and for all." He shakes his head. "I wish my master was here. He'd know exactly who to find...but I am new to the questing bit of wizardry."

With a sidelong glance at Kuval she turns her gaze towards the sprawling city opening up before her. As she drank in the city she made a note of various details. The low cut of the front buildings and how their height rose the further back the buildings were and how it would give an archer on each rooftop a clear shot over the archers below him on other rooftops, the barrels of what she could only assume was pitch or lantern oil for burning the roads in case of breaches that adorned each roof. The blocked pattern of the city layout then the heavy fortifications of the inner walls clearly visible from her current position. The hard stone streets and the signless shops also caught her attention but most of all was the lack of color save for the garments being worn by those moving amongst the streets at such an early hour. Over all the outer city seemed very militaristic and she noted several troops of armed soldiers making their way across various roads or battlements on the inner wall.

Another thing she took into note was the fact that the roads never directly led to the inner gate, which is just what she set out for at that moment. Without looking back at the young man she said "You should probably know that sticking around me will get you killed long before your intended time. I have powerful enemies and last night in Fienser I seriously undermined one of them."

Kuval watched the city unfold in the light as the gate finished opening. It was very different then from where he was from. The feelings of life around him were...almost of a different wavelength. He could not put his finger on it, whatever it was. He shook his head and then quirked a brow at the elven woman.

"I think we should stick together, regardless of your enemies. Better to have someone watch your back then to go at it alone, especially if your enemies are powerful. I can be of some help. And you and I are both after the same thing...because if that dragon has the artifact, then you'll have to kill him to get it."

Shrugging at the response she said "Im not entirely sure taking the artifact from the dragon if he has it is a good thing. Its much safer in the hands of a tyrant that believes it beneath him to use it." she said in a flat tone. Her mind began to wander over the subject once more as it did on her trip to the city. Just what game was the council playing? She got the feeling she was being used. She should just walk away now and let them stew in the stench they were kicking up.

Knowing full well that there was something wrong here she smiled grimly and continued forward. She didn't trust this at all and if it could be helped, she wouldn't let the artifact fall into the hands of another madmen. If she had to lie and say that the artifact had been destroyed by the dragons breath then she would. But whatever the case, that didn't mean that she had to fight a dragon to do it. The truth was simply that her people wanted her dead. Easy to understand if not nearly unnerving.

Tucking her personal thoughts away in a mental compartment she let her dark blue and gold flecked eyes wander over the gates to the inner city as they arrived. It had been a good half hours walk using the roads and during that time people had continued to start up their days, from what appeared to be shop owners and merchants, to Fancies that called after her current companion. Letting all the sights and sounds wash over her and storing them all away for later, she moved to the gate and waited for it to open.

Kuval walked with the elven woman, allowing his senses to catch details here and there. He wondered just what he wold find in this town. More wizards? Other people looking for the same as he? Ellifain said that she was here to talk to the Queen. Could the Queen help Kuval too? he didn't know, but he sure would love to find out.

Looking over, he smiled at his companion. "Do you like to travel, Miss Ellifain?"

Smirking at the young man's question she nodded. "I like travel to an extent. Being sent on a quest that will more than likely get me killed isnt how i planned to see the world, however." Casually brushing her hair off of her shoulders she looked around slightly unsettled. Everything appeared normal, or as normal as she had come to understand humans and their works, so she couldn't place why she was ill at ease suddenly. Her eyebrows furrowing, she shoved the thought roughly aside and glanced over at her companion. "What about you? And why we are dwelling on such matters, why choose wizardry specifically?"

Her strides slowed greatly as they passed under the inner gate and strove to fishtail their way though and around throngs of people, mostly what seemed like higher class people and servants. Ellifain shook her head at the thought of serving anyone other than herself. She was born free and wouldn't be looked down upon because she offered her services to another. Humans seemed to do that. She honestly wondered what half of the people around her would do if their workers just up and left and they couldn't rehire any in their places. She'd imagine most would think it the end of the world as it were.

A faint chuckle passed her lips at the though as she waited on a reply Kusval.

Kuval shakes his head, blood red locks swaying. "I've never really travelled away from home. Not since I moved in with my master to learn the arts from him. I..." he hesitates and then sighs. "It's a long story that involves my father, money and my master. Point is, I started learning the arts when I was 7." He shrugs. "It's the way life goes."

Before Dinu could get further along the path, dextrous fingers wrapped around his arm, and he turned to see Mino-wa looking at him.'Look, I’ve been on my own for a very long time and I’m not good at communicating with people.'Her face contorted with horror as she barely said the next part of her sentence.I’m… I am… I… well… you see… I’m sorry.' she said truthfully, then spun on her heel, letting go of his arm almost as quickly as she grasped it.'Maybe we could start over?

Dinu smiled, and nodded, aware she could not see his small gesture.'I'd like that very much, Mino-wa'

“We should get going,” Mino-wa said looking at the sky. “We have a long walk a head of us and I’m sure whatever’s happening over at the smoke is over and done with,” She told him as she started once more on their path. Mino-wa was determined not to think about what she had just done. Making friend was never an aspiration of hers but it seem that it has become a requirement for continuing on with this quest. I can be friendly, she thought to herself.

As they continued forward and weaved through the thickening throngs, she kept her eyes and ears pealed. Something was still unsettling her. Like a nagging sense that there was something in front of her that she just wasn't seeing. Sure, she was getting gawked at by almost every male within sight, but they usually kept moving. Muttering to herself while she tried to place the feeling she said, "What is it with humans and elves?"

She was finally forced to push the situation from her mind once more as they drew near a seemingly well to do tavern. Looking over at Kusval to better read him, she paused just outside the door. "I'm sorry." she said in complete honesty after a moments silence. She could well hazard a guess as to what areas the man's tale passed and none of them were very pretty. She could see his reason for hesitation.

Motioning him towards the tavern door on a sudden impulse to have a seat and a meal, she entered and looked around the still vacant room save one patron slumped in a cup close to the bar. Walking over to a table in the far right hand corner, she pulled the chair closest to the back wall out and positioned it in the corner then sat down. From here she could keep an eye out on the room and would be able to observe the comings and goings which shouldn't be too heavy considering the early hour.

As she sat she nodded to her companion and started speaking more to fill the need to offer something of herself in return for the information she had been given. "I am familiar with raw deals." she said calmly. "I have spent most of my life being shunned by my own people. In fact, the only reason I am here at this moment is because I made a pass at someone I shouldn't have." Waving the serving woman over, she made a request for a light ale then waited as it was brought to her.

Looking down into her cup she smirked to herself. "Truth be offered, I don't really care about the dragon. I just want to belt the smiles and smirks off of my people's faces by returning in good health." Shrugging at the over simplified statement, she figured that to be the best way to express it. She didn't need anyone's approval nor did she seek it. While her people generally weren't openly hostile, they did have a way of making their opinions of you known in a sickeningly polite and deathly sweet manner. She preferred the open hostilities of the younger elves as opposed to the older ones that seemed to take immense satisfaction in playing word games and appearing to be polite on the surface.

Taking a swallow of her drink she nodded and settled in waiting for the morning meal to be cooked.

"They expect you to fail..." Kuval says calmly. He chuckles as he sits with her, ordering a simple glass of wine. "They expect me to do the same. Once I die, the magics that I left behind guarding my and my master's study will be broken and the rival wizards and warlocks can get at his collection of things." He thanks the waitress and sips his wine. "It's why I came to Faust alone. No one wanted to come. No one believed it would be possible." He shakes his head. "But it is. I know it is. I think someone betrayed or failed my master, or he would not have died. Something went wrong on his trip. Something he did not forsee." Kuval looked over at the woman suddenly and then tilted his head.

"Do I surprise you? You seemed...perturbed earlier at the other citizens of this city...yet are not so with me."

She tilted her head while considering his inquiry. After a moment she nodded curtly. "Yes." She said looking him in the eyes. "From what I have seen of wizards of your race, you seem neither hungry for power or bend on control." Lifting her ale to her lips once more she took a large swallow watching him from the side of her cup. Setting it down she slid it to her left to clear the space between them.

"It is common knowledge that human wizards often reach heights that their elven counterparts rarely do. Human's tend to pursue things until their pinacle where as my people follow their passions. Elves constantly change over the course of their lives. Who I am now will most likely not be the same woman you meet in a hundred years if you manage to live that long. In fact there is a good chance that there will be no trace of the being I am now at all come that time."

Letting the concept sink in she then continued. "Because of our long lives and the fact that my race tends to outlive the other races that we can commune with, my people strive to live for the here and now. Humans seem to strive for what they can achieve. Perhaps it is to leave their mark upon this world or to create a sense that they have done something with the little time they have." Looking pointedly at him she continued, "But you do not. Wheither because of your recent loss or from something experienced in years past, I cannot tell. You seem to live for the here and now. And that, in a human, truly does surprise me. I have met many of your kind that take pleasure in the simple day to day things much like we do, but they did not live in the moment."

Leaning back in her chair and using the moment to look the room over once more she said "I have no fault or quarrel with humans. You have but limited time on this plane before you are called to the next. So I can understand one's haste to make headway. However there are certain qualities that I find in your race more often than in my own. Qualities that I don't agree with. That is why I seem off set when around large crowds of humans."

Kuval nods. "My master once told me that if you have nothing left to smile about, then you have nothing left to live for. He taught me that while gaining power and setting a goal is good, the journey, the process is important too." Kuval takes a sip of his wine. "If you forget how you got there, the good and the bad, you forget who you are. You say you change over the years. Perhaps. I think that you may change, but your core you will still be there, and if I am fated to live another hundred years, then perhaps we can see if you prove me wrong or right." He chuckles a raises a toast. "To proving points." He smiles wide and takes a long drink.

Nodding and raising her tankard she says "To proving points." Taking a the final draft of her ale she set the cup down and began spinning it in between her fingers while she waited on a meal that had most likely been forgotten by the cook.

Watching the cup as it danced on edged between her fingers she let the moment lapse into silence.

Dinu nodded to himself, and walked forwards along the path, accepting that the trouble was most likely over and done with. Thes smoke above the trees was clearing slightly, and Dinu could even hear cheering. Birds soared out of the trees, the fox from before sprinted past. Grave bounded out of the tres and barked once before taking his place beside Mino-wa. Something was changng.'Hold on,' Dinu said quietly, 'how did that fire start?'Almost as if to confirm his hypothesis, a blur of rusted red and creamed yellow blasted through the air towards Faust. It covered the distance almost immediately.'We have too hurry,' Dinu said quickly, running down the road as fast as he could.

Running along side Dinu, into what she could only assume to be straight into trouble, she chanted to herself. I can be nice. I can be nice. I can be nice. Over and over again. This is not going to end well.

As the two ran towards the human capital, the young queen of this age, Sylvia Fortrend, sat upon her throne, unaware of what was approaching her kingdom. Though young, her wisdom was known throughout the land. She was fair, believing all had a right to something. Farmers wanted more land, soldiers wanted more money, and Sylvia seemed to have a way to either give them what they needed, or to make them stop talking. She had ebony black hair, adorned with small opals from the Montalemian ountians, with bright green eyes and alabastor skin. She wore robes, but her old princess one, trimmed with pink. She complained the queen's robes made her "feel old".

'Of course, we'll investigate, my friend,' she said to the peasant, and he left, smiling to himself. Sylvia turned to her guard and nodded. Quickly, he left, intent on investigating the lake and why tthe ducks were no longer there.'Milady!' a voice rang through the throne room, and the commander of the guard marched in, 'Olduiin has been sighted. He is approaching as we-'He was cut off as a gutteral roar was heard from outide. Sylvia looked out the window, and saw Olduiin, red and nightmarish, attacking her people. INNI|OCENT people.

'I want everyone evacuated or underground excet those who can fight. Anyone who can fire a bow or swing a sword'As she said this, she took her family' blade from a glass case.'What are you waiting for, go!'

She was out of her seat and halfway to the door before he had finished his sentence. Her hands moving in a flurry of motion, she drew the two long swords hanging from her waist and wished to the Gods that she had a bow. Her bow. Growling low as she fled the tavern, she was greeted by the sight of people milling about in confusion.

Just then a tripe of city guards came rushing through the streets in near perfect formation, the lead bellowing for everyone to clear a path and make for the evacuation points or the underground entrances. She spared them no further glance as her eyes began scanning the skies. It wouldn't do well to be caught in the open, but being caught inside a burning building or a wooden perch was even worst.

Her mind ran over various scenarios and she spared a glance over to see her companion, calm as a still pond, gazing at the skies as well. "If his first pass is with breath, we should stick to the alleys and building edges. Buildings may burn but they do offer shelter against direct flames." Then she recalled the barrels of oil on each roof and swore to herself. This would not end well by any means. Unless the Fate's intervened, this city was going to burn....